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STEP CLOSER TO REALITY FOR NORTHERN REACHES
A highly authoritative report by a Government
organisation has announced that the proposals to restore the Northern
Reaches of the Lancaster Canal are on track and should be reality within a
few years. The Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council has just issued its
second report on some 100 canal restoration projects all over the country,
and Northern Reaches scores highly in its assessment. |
IWAAC’s report, entitled ‘A Second Waterway
Age’, builds on its earlier report of 1998 entitled ‘Waterway Restoration
Priorities’, which itself was favourable to Cumbria’s derelict canal. The
new report indicates that the Northern Reaches restoration plans are in the
‘Advanced’ stage, following immediately after projects now substantially
completed such as the Huddersfield Narrow Canal with its famous Standedge
Tunnel, and the Ribble Link, which will open the Lancaster Canal to the rest
of the English canal system for the first time.
The Ribble Link will open to boat traffic
early this summer, and the report states that ‘this enhances the need for
progress on Northern Reaches, an outstanding heritage waterway.. Restoration
to the former terminus at Kendal would be a major enhancement for South
Cumbria tourism and rural regeneration’. |
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The report places the Northern Reaches
restoration project in the prestigious Category 1 ‘Nationally Significant’
section, stating that restoration should be achievable within the next few
years, and is ‘a priority for funding’.
Hal Bagot from Levens Hall, Chairman of the
Northern Reaches Restoration Group, ( a partnership whose members include
Cumbria and Lancashire County Councils, South Lakeland District and
Lancaster City Councils, the Inland Waterways Association, the Waterways
Trust, the Lancaster Canal Trust, and British Waterways) said: “ I am
delighted that this highly influential Council recognises that the
restoration of the Northern Reaches is vitally important to the people of
Lancashire and Cumbria, and that it is seen as a priority for funding. “It
gives us the confidence to ask for funding from potential partners, in the
knowledge this scheme can bring nothing but benefits in large measure to the
North West, and the Lake District in particular”.
Meanwhile, work is proceeding apace at two
restoration sites on the Northern Reaches. At Change Bridge, an important
Listed bridge off Parkside Road in Kendal, extensive repair works are
nearing completion. This bridge is the only one of its type on the canal
route where the design enabled horses pulling boats to transfer from the
towpath on one side of the canal to the other whilst still attached by rope
to the boat. The work was Grant-aided by the Lottery Fund, South Lakeland
District and Kendal Town Councils, and the Civic Society as well as United
Utilities. At Crooklands work is also proceeding well with the dredging of
the canal from Crookalnds Bridge to the M6, behind the Council depot at
Millness. This will enable the Canal Trust’s trip boat ‘Waterwitch’ to use
the canal for a further mile return trip, which will show visitors a further
section of this 14 mile restoration project.
Notes to Editors
Restoration of the Northern Reaches will
re-open the final 14 miles of the Lancaster Canal, connecting Kendal to the
national network for the first time in its history. The Canal was severed in
three places by the building of the M6 motorway during the 1960'’ and
subsequent highway improvements. This estimated £30 million restoration
project is the 5 year vision of the NRRG, whose partners include South
Lakeland District Council, Lancaster City Council, Cumbria County Council,
Lancashire County Council, the Inland Waterway Association, Lancaster Canal
Trust, The Waterways Trust and British Waterways’. Photographs are available
in jpeg format from Alistair McNeil at South Lakeland Council on 01539
733333 ext 7352
For more information contact Debbie
Lumb, British Waterways Manager for the Lancaster Canal. Tel 01524 751888.
Or Hal Bogot on 01539 560582 |
